his drift; so I persevered:

"You admit that the reason exists, that it would be a good thing to
favour Wilde, then why not do it?"

"We live," he said, "under parliamentary rule. Suppose the question were
asked in the House, and I think it very likely in the present state of
public opinion that the question would be asked: what should we answer?
It would not be an avowable reason that we hoped Wilde would write new
plays and books, would it? That reason ought to be sufficient, I grant
you; but, you see yourself, it would not be so regarded."

"You are right, I suppose," I had to admit. "But if I got you a petition
from men of letters, asking you to release Wilde for his health's sake:
would that do?"

Sir Ruggles Brise jumped at the suggestion.

"Certainly," he exclaimed, "if some men of letters, men of position,
wrote asking that Wilde's sentence should be diminished by three or
four months on account of his health, I think it would have the best
effect."

"I will see Meredith at once," I said, "and some others. How many names
should I get?"

"If you have Meredith," he replied, "you don't need many others. A dozen
would do, or fewer if you find a dozen too many."

"I don't think I shall meet with any difficulty," I replied, "but I will
let you know."

"You will find it harder than you think," he concluded, "but if you get
one or two great names the rest may follow. In any case one or two good
names will make it easier for you."

Naturally I thanked him for his kindness and went away absolutely
content. I had never set myself a task which seemed simpler. Meredith
could not be more merciless than a Royal Commission. I returned to my
office in _The Saturday Review_ and got the Royal Commission report on
this sentence of two years' imprisonment with hard labour. The
Commission recommended that it should be wiped off the Statute Book as
too severe. I drafted a little petition as colourless as possible:

"In view of the fact that the punishment of two years' imprisonment with
hard labour has been condemned by a Royal Commission as too severe, and
inasmuch as Mr. Wilde has been distinguished by his work in letters and
is now, we hear, suffering in health, we, your petitioners, pray--and
so forth and so on."

I got this printed, and then sat down to write to Meredith asking when I
could see him on the matter. I wanted his signature first to be printed
underneath the petition, and then issue it. To my astonishme